Various devices and components include panels and the like having holes formed therein. During an assembly process, the holes may receive and retain fasteners, or allow tubing, wiring, or the like to pass therethrough. In some instances, however, a hole may not be utilized. Similarly, the hole may be reserved for a future application, for example. Hole plugs are used to securely cover and close holes formed within panels of a device.
FIG. 1 illustrates an isometric top view of a conventional hole plug 10. The hole plug 10 is typically formed of a resilient material, such as rubber, that allows the hole plug 10 to flex, while at the same time providing a fluid-tight barrier.
The hole plug 10 includes a main body 12. The main body 12 includes a central covering base 14 configured to cover a hole. The base 14 is integrally formed with an arcuate, bell-shaped upper lip 16 that extends upwardly from outer edges of the base 14 and circumferentially extends around the base 14.
FIG. 2 illustrates an axial cross-sectional view of the conventional hole plug 10 secured to a panel 18. A hole is formed through the panel 18.
The hole plug 10 also includes a lower lip 20 that radially extends from the base 14 underneath the upper lip 16. The lower lip 20 also circumferentially extends around the base 14. As shown in FIG. 2, the edges 22 of the panel 18 that define the hole are pinched between the upper lip 16 and the lower lip 20. As such, the hole plug 10 is secured to the panel 10 within the hole.
The upper and lower lips 16 and 20, respectively, are flexible and configured to allow the base 14 to be inserted into the hole. During this insertion process, the upper and lower lips 16 and 20, respectively, snap into a securing relationship with respect to the edges 22 of the panel 18.
FIG. 3 illustrates an axial cross-sectional view of the conventional hole plug 10 secured to a panel 18′. The panel 18′ is thicker than the panel 18. In order to accommodate the panel 18′, the gap between the lips 16 and 20 in the secured position is wider than that shown in FIG. 2. As such, the top lip 16 flattens. As can be appreciated, with increased panel thickness, the hole plug 10 may be unable to be used.
In particular, as panel thickness is increased, the vestige v (that is, the portion of the upper lip 16 above a top surface of the panel 18′) decreases. The decrease in the vestige v occurs because the upper lip 16 opens wider to accommodate the thicker panel 18′, and therefore tends to flatten. At some point, panel thickness causes the top lip 16 to completely flatten against the panel 18′ such that it is unable to accommodate a thicker panel. An exemplary range of panel thickness that may be accommodated by a typical hole plug, such as the hole plug 10, is on the order of 2 mm.
In order to accommodate thicker panels, therefore, the height of the upper lip 16 may be increased so that the vestige v is increased. However, for various applications, the increased height of the upper lip may prove to be visually and functionally unacceptable. Additionally, it has been found that an increased height of the upper lip may adversely affect the retaining ability of the hole plug.